007 - DIE ANOTHER DAY - Switchblade - Press Clips

[WeakMindedFool 0]

More important than all these questions is, when if ever, will I get to fly one?!

Faith in a holy cause is to a considerable extent a substitute for lost faith in ourselves.
-Eric Hoffer -
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[ltdiver 3]

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I haven't seen the movie yet, but the shots from the website and the shot from the trailer blip look like the same design. Maybe there's another shot from the movie that I have yet to see that resembles more of a Tomahawk shape. Either way, very cool. Makes me wish I had a few years of Aerospace Design under my belt so I could really jump into this kind of project.

Here's some (pretty poor) screen grabs from the movie.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[JackMcCornack 0]

Can I tell you how much was practical footage and how much was CGI/bluescreen? Actually, that's one thing specified by our contract: I can't. And since I'm hoping (with two under my belt so far) to do another Bond someday, I'll stick to the letter of the contract.

That said, Michael G. Wilson, the producer, had no such restrictions, and on the DAD DVD there's a Director's/Producer's commentary track where he comes right out and tells you.

There are certainly parts of that sequence (and the sequence is really quite brief) that look pretty darn suspicious. We did offer them a chase plane (a slicker/powered version of what you saw on the screen) but that didn't fit the budget, and it seems unlikely they could get formation flight close-ups without a throttleable camera plane. And when they bail and one of the abandoned Switchblades heads right for the camera--well did they use CGI, or did they kill a cameraman?

But the part I've read here that seemed unrealistic to somebody--the part where they go out the tailgate, pop the wings out, pitch up, and reverse their heading? Hey, I've got a video of Allan Hewitt doing that very thing on a launch at Eloy, and it looks cool! If the movie footage was CGI (go ahead and beat me; I'll never confess) it was done by computer artists that had pored over actual flight footage.
Jack
PS--L/D roughly 6/1. I know there are canopies that do better than that, but not at 200 mph.
PPS--Could one land it? If I were in a burning Skyvan and there was a Switchblade on board but no parachutes, I would sure as hell give it a shot. The trick would be to line up on an open section of freeway with medium-fast pitch trim, sweep the wings full forward at around 100 feet, and use both brakes to rotate/flare; touchdown speed about 110. On contact I think I'd sweep the wings back and hope the fins would keep it sliding straight, but let's get real; it'd be my first flight and I'd not be all that likely to get the glide flattened out +- 15 feet of the tarmac. Still, it's possible that a properly performed Switchblade landing would be no worse than falling off your Hayabusa at about 12,000 RPM in third gear.

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack

[yoink 321]

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Still, it's possible that a properly performed Switchblade landing would be no worse than falling off your Hayabusa at about 12,000 RPM in third gear.

Cool toy! I want one! Thanks for the info!

[JackMcCornack 0]

Thanks for the "Cool toy! I want one!" comment.

Frankly, it's not the coolest toy in the Kinetic toys-with-caopies quiver. Does anybody here know how I could contact the Austin Powers producers? I've heard they're going for yet another film in that franchise and we've got something the Bond folks consider a bit over the top--which sounds perfect for Austin Powers, right?

Oh yeah, re the Switchblade construction: the first flying prototype was not all-metal, it was aluminum frame and fiberglass/epoxy/foam skin accessories and sub-structures. It looked like aluminum because, rather than smooth the fiberglass and paint it, we covered it with silver sign vinyl--quick, easy, and probably worth an L/D point versus leaving the surface fuzzy. The next four flying models were carbon/epoxy but EON wanted them to look like the prototype they'd seen in the video, so they painted them to match.

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack

[MWGemini 0]

So um..... when can we buy them, and what's the sticker price?

Also- how do you handle the recovery of them right now? Are they (as advertised) programmed and self piloting, do they have their own parachutes, or do they simply get destroyed on impact?

I also sent you a private message a few days ago with several more detailed questions.

Thanks,

Mike

[JackMcCornack 0]

Mike, your private message did not get to me; I'm brand new to this list and there was some sort of newby glitch. Please resend...or tell me how to get in touch with you off-list.

Recovery is a round reserve canopy on a timer, which usually works. We've only flown one into the desert without benefit of canopy (the pilot was busy doing other things and didn't start the timer when he and the machine parted ways); the Switchblade has considerably more parasite drag without a pilot on board (the notches for arms, legs and torso are exposed to the breeze) but it still tracked in straight as a die and a 5/1 L/D as best as we could measure against the horizon. Anyway, if they come down with their own parachutes, we can now verify that they get destroyed on impact -- we were able to take that Switchblade home in the back seat of a Geo Tracker.

You want preprogrammed and self piloting? Fine; available off the shelf, but it does add to cost and doesn't seem like what a sport jumper would want. I gotta tell you, this launch-and-forget technology makes people kinda nervous...my gosh, I can't get on an airliner any more without machines sniffing my shoes, and the idea of people asking "Gee, how much for one that'll go where I tell it without me on board?", well, I'm just glad i'm among friends here. :-)

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack

[MWGemini 0]

Here is the original message I sent to you:

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I saw you revived the old thread about your glider. Very interesting device. We're discussing some of the tactical considerations for covert military insertions. I'm former military and have a few questions about it.

My primary question is how covertly it can be used. Having to ditch it at a higher altitude so it could fly to international waters ot a area with friendly military presence seems like it would negate the added flight range of having a glider as opposed to conventional HALO/HAHO insertion techniques. There is also the sound issue, as these things would make at least some (possibly significant) wind noise at those speeds. What about radar signatures? How heavy are they? I ask this because of my post about carrying them in a similar manner to conventional static line jumps, where the jumper attaches the rucksack to a line attached to his harness. This allows for the ruck to hit first, but does not affect the canopy flight characteristics for when the jumper lands.

On a more civilian side, do you expect to sell these to private companies/individuals? I noticed on your site that you were targeting it for civilian and military use, but specifics were not available. What do you estimate the cost of them to be? Could it be landed, either with the pilot, or automatically (once the programming is complete)? How are they currently being recovered/reused (parachute/self landing/destroyed on impact)?

I understand that some of these questions may be outside your ability to answer due to classification or contractual obligations/ NDA, but I'd be interested in reading any information you are able to provide.

As an added note, if *I* personally were to purchase one (which I'm sure I could never afford), I wouldn't need the programmed flight ability. As long as there is some system to keep it from impacting, that would be enough for me. Possibly even a Cypress with a modified, reusable cutter, in the event the jumper does not activate the timer.

Like I said though, I doubt I would be able to afford one, but it would definitely be cool to jump.

Thanks,

Mike

[AggieDave 6]

Instead of a timer, why not use some sort of AAD type device that works without a timer. Maybe an old sentinnal (sp?) or something cheap like that?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[quade 3]

Dave --

I'm thinking a timer is really a much better way to go in that you'd probably want it to stop flying pretty quickly after pilot separation. Kind of like the kill switch on a jet ski -- fall off and it kills the engine so it doesn't just keep going uncontrolled.

So, maybe a 10 second timer with some sort of pin that the pilot pulls during sep or if he accidently falls off during launch.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[AggieDave 6]

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I'm thinking a timer is really a much better way to go in that you'd probably want it to stop flying pretty quickly after pilot separation. Kind of like the kill switch on a jet ski -- fall off and it kills the engine so it doesn't just keep going uncontrolled.

So, maybe a 10 second timer with some sort of pin that the pilot pulls during sep or if he accidently falls off during launch.

Ah, didn't think of that, that's a good point!

I'm guessing an actual kill line like a Jet Ski would be all around a bad idea as well.

Perhaps an automated timer that starts its countdown after a short kill line has been pulled due to and during the jumper leaving? That's a very simple electronic device, hell I can even solder one up...so it must be simple.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[quade 3]

Or maybe a pressure switch hooked up to the grips? Let go of the grip and the switch starts the timer.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[AggieDave 6]

I thought of that too, but what if you have to take your hand off quickly for some reason?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[quade 3]

Hook it to both grips.

If both hands on grips then timer armed.
If both hands leave grips then timer counts down.
If one hand releases grip then nothing happens.

Could be any one of a number of things, but you're probably right in that there probably shouldn't be a tied physical connection (static line) between the device and the pilot.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[JackMcCornack 0]

...and Quade, and AggieDave etc,

As a glider, its ability to fly somewhere else after the pilot becomes a parachutist is limited. At a conservative (and easy to do the math with) fivish to one L/D gives a range of one statute mile per thousand feet descent (use sixish for nautical miles). With supplementary oxygen, leave the transport aircraft at 30,000 feet, range is 25 miles with confidence over low terrain -- but not much altitude left for it to fly away home.

A slicker design (yeah, we have the molds built but have't jumped a prototype -- it takes money to do this stuff and we need a motive; preferably an interested client) could boost the range to 50+ miles, but once the pilot's gone there's a big air-grabbing hole in the top and L/D goes to hell again. And if you were a covert ops guy, wouldn't you rather have longer range than fly-home-and-reuse capability? In what I'd imagine a genuine covert insertion would be like, these are Bic aircraft; use and discard. Power will bring range up to 100 miles (somewhat more with external fuel tanks) but not particularly stealthy.

As to noise in glide, even our crude prototype was inaudible from a mile away (except for the crunch into the desert part of the procedure) in its uncanopied/uncontrolled flight -- its last, as you might well guess.

Best dismount seemed to be: deploy the pilot chute of the Switchblade, pilot chute attached to the tail, Switchblade slows, nose drops, pilot goes over the handlbars and does his own thing, six seconds later the Switchblade main opens.

Hold the Switchblade in a stall (squish both brake levers), release, pilot rolls off the side of the Switchblade (over/forward of wing) with Switchblade pilot chute ripcord in hand, Switchblade deploys its pilot chute and six seconds later the main; that worked well too.

Pilot leaving the Switchblade at high speed without starting the timer, well, that worked allright but it's hard on the equipment.

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack

[MWGemini 0]

As a covert insertion tool, I could see where it would be very useful, but I'm just wondering how covert it would be. I mean, you wouldn't want to just drop it on their heads, and they are large enough that hiding them might be difficult.

Still a very cool design, though. It will be interesting to see what you do with it.

Thanks,

Mike

[JackMcCornack 0]

said Mike:

>t: As a covert insertion tool, I could see where it would be very useful, >but I'm just wondering how covert it would be.

Duno how useful in real life. Radar-wise, it's not any stealthier than a guy in a birdman suit--just faster and longer range. With power it's less stealthy than that.

>I mean, you wouldn't want to just drop it on their heads

:-) Depends on who "they" are.

>and they are large enough that hiding them might be difficult.

Considering how hard the prototype was to find when nobody was hiding it, I don't think it would be much of a problem. With the wings folded in, it's roughly the size of a surfboard; throw a couple bushes on it and it's gone.

Which reminds me; in the flight test pictures on the web site were from flight #2, where we added a bunch of surface area to the tip draggers (big rectangles riveted to the triangular drag brakes) in an effort to give directional control during deep stall, and one side's painted orange so we could see what the pilot was doing with them when we reviewed the videos. In operation, I presume folks would paint the whole Switchblade the color of the destination, plus camo blotches.

Also, they don't need round parachutes. With a square canopy, a GPS or radio, and two servo-controlled string winders, there's no reason they shouldn't come down under canopy after the pilots have gone, and land on target via RC, homing to a transmitter, or global position coordinates. Heck, they could carry the ammo and hershey bars. Double-heck, you could send unmanned Switchblades out to resupply the team.

They probably wouldn't land in the pea gravel without adult supervision (altitude is one area GPS is a bit weak), but the necessary hardware is available off-the-shelf to get 'em within 50-100 yards/meters of where you want them.

But I dunno what we're going to do with them. We've had no military interest (a cynic suggested we're not bribing the right generals) despite there being a DARPA request for a "single soldier transport" yadda yadda. The money went to somewhat silly ideas (in my opinion; not quite "...and then the parachute will open on impact..." but close) and Switchblades have the limitation of requiring paratroopers, but hey, it sure seems to me there would be circumstances they'd be just the ticket.

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack

[LouDiamond 1]

I've followed this topic for a while and even before it was a thread on this site. I think the Switchblade is an awesome advancement in flying technology and would love to fly one recreationally.

However, as someone who would use this for real world operations I am doubtful of it's effectiveness or practicality. In a perfect world, the Switchblade would fly back to where ever the user designated. The military definitions of clandestine and covert have two seperate meanings. Anyone finding a Switchblade, even after the fact, would be able to narrow down who and what it's intended use was. That aside the other thing I see as a limiter on the Switchblade is it's size. Configuring 12 or 6 men in full kit and O2 with the Switchblade in deployment configuration off of the tail gate is going to be a boone doggle at best.

Looking past the logistics of deploying 6-12 man teams, the other issue I am concerned with as a military HALO jumper is the egress method off of the Switchblade. It may not may seem that big of a deal to the average skydiver but until you've had a HALO rig with O2, weapon, combat kit on AND at a minimum, a 100lb ruck sack between your legs, the idea of rolling off in the manner you described doesn't even enter into the realm of do-able, especially at night.

Lastly, the safety factor of being in a prone position with all that kit on and the snag hazards that would undoubtedly occur while trying to roll off will be big issues in any HALO jumpers mind as well as where ones ruck sack/equipment would go into the sleek design of the Switchblade. Keeping in mind the whole time that this will all start at 30k feet and during the night. The additional EPs involved could start a whole other topic of conversation IMO.


Jack, I think that may be just a few of the reasons why you are not getting any bites on the switchblade from the Military market. Again, I think it is a fantastic advancement in flying and my hat is off to you and your team for building it. However, I think the military sees it as square peg for a round hole at this point.

If you have any questions feel free to PM me.

"It's just skydiving..additional drama is not required"
Some people dream about flying, I live my dream
SKYMONKEY PUBLISHING

[JackMcCornack 0]

Excellent points, LouDiamond. As someone who would be using this for real world operations, I can't claim any experience that would make me disagree. I don't know why there was a DARPA grant available and I don't know why it didn't mention the 100 lb ruck sack.

As far as egress, we haven't explored the full range of techniques, but put out a drogue chute, drop the nose, and go over the front has top marks so far--the over-the-side technique was explored in the search for what would look coolest on film.

I'm happy enough making this sort of things for the movie industry; Ike warned me when I was 8 that the "military industrial complex" was going to be trouble.

As far as the fuster cluck aspects of getting a crowd of Switchblades out of a tailgate transport plane; I'd say it depends on the plane(s) and the number of Switchblades. I think 2 is max out of a Skyvan, which is my only experience, but pushing two stunt performers out of a (parked) Chinook only used up about a third of the floor space. 'Course, no rucksacks and no real time pressure.

"Danger is my middle name."
--J. D. McCornack